The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-17
WAC Arb YOU, ANYWAY?
AMEklC, IGNORANCE OF AN
CESTRAL TISS.
Family Pride aud For. aue-Unex.
pected Windfslls Out Of Old
Deeds aad Old BIbes.

New York Hera,d: when a man
has acquired wealth and position he
has a natural and pardonablc desire
to know something OF his ancestry"
The mast of the Hall OF Records
closed one of his inlaid wood cabin
cts filed with memoranda,
But family pride is not 80 COM
mon motive as desire for money.
BY far the greater number Of my eli
ents hope to prove their titles to
legacies, to recover property, to prove
themselves heirs to advertised es-
tates. Here are two letters just re-
ceived from the West wanting intor-
nation concerning estates in chan
Gerry. You may read them.
Are they ever successful Look
Here is register of $1,000 cases in
chaucery. Payment out. Payment
out Dye see2 That means they
have been recovered"
Now what will you do for those
pesple2' -,
IF they are of Dutch descent, |
have the old Dutch books Of every
city aud town, recording the names
of the principal citizens as far back
as 1900. IL they are English ! refer
to my English books, which contain
for many centuries the names OF the
gentry"
DON'T KNOW THEIR GRANDMoTHERs
But tits surprising how few people
know, for example, their grand
mothers maiden names. Some peo-
pie know less. A good deal Of this
confusion arises from our silly habit
Of naming children. A Dutch girl
will have four names-they will rep
resent four generations. She opens
her mothers Bible. Her mo her
has four names. There is her ances.
try for several generations. A large
part Of my custom comes from people
who literally do not know who they
are
How did you drift into this puz-
cling business2'
81 went first 10 recover some prop
crty Tor my wife. was so success
full that was employed by the Col
lego Of Heraldry, started by a man
named Wells, now dead and his col
lege extinct. | went to Holland in
1866 aud stayed over eighteen years,
returning only now and then and
staying the first time eight years.
II began then TO collect data on
my own account wherever | found
them. Look"
Drawers, cabinets, book racks were
full Of small folios, inclosed in neat
covers and alphabetically arranged.
81 have here tn, record OF go 900
families When have a new client,
in few minutes ] can tell him II |
have any facts that will help him,
and often we are put Immediately in
the right way.
TWO NEW YORK ACRES ron 81 90
Another branch OF my business
is collecting old deeds aud legal doc.
uments. In many instances these
bring TO people knowledge OF rights
OF which they we're ignorant. Tn.
last time | was in England
found deed belonging e
one Of the old Dutch fam
| lies here emitting them 10 two acre
and a half in the heart Of down town
You will yet hear OF the lawsui
based on il. When the English drov,
out the Dutch in this city, this dee,
was seized and carried TO England
where il remained until recovered
it," .
While he spoke, he unrolled an ole
legal document. beginning 81 Will
lam Fourth, by grace OF God, etc
IL was surrounded by an illuminate,
floral Dor Ter, aud from il depended
the royal seals. The document &C
knowledged the debt OF f96,O Il
the Lord Chancellor Of the city o
Dublin in 1900.
"When did you get it2'
81 bought IL for dollar and hal
out in Ohio. IL was left for SAT
keeping by the descendants OF thi
man (the name will not be given her,
TO encourage doubtful hopes). Tn,
owners of il went farther West an,
have never been heard Of since. |
any persons OF this name could brinl
the proofs Of their ancestry tina
money could be recovered.
"But il is amusing how little car,
people take 10 preserve their lineage
! / often find that after q lapse o
twenty. FIVE years in this cDuntr.
brothers and sisters know nothing o
one another. Now aud then th,
search after property will bring then
together in the most curious way.
Another great trouble arises iron
people changing their names by add
ing or emitting letters after the.
have come TO this country. Apropos
| will tell you strange story OF cir
cumstanco.
A EIsLAID LETTER.
AFTER had gone TO Holland,
received a letter from Marylan'
family asking me 10 look up som,
properly belonging to them In llol
land.
~ found no record Of their name
but Of one somewhat similar. wrot
back TO know II they bad any proof
identifying their name with that o
the Holland family. They snswere,
no, but sent me the facts on whioI
they based their claim. Their iathe
late in the last century had come b
this country, leaving 10 Holland a
only brother. One Saturday after
, noon, in the year 1910, the old gen
tleman walked into town, and Their
he found letter from his brothe
/ in Holland, begging him I
come back home. Tn not married
: nor never will be. | am a rich ma
with plenty 10 support you and you
,, children, aud they shall be my heirs
. he wrote. With this letter he wake
! back home. lie read il 10 h
I. family. But II was late. The Dute
' Sunday begins az shutdown. SO J